This invention relates generally to vehicle door latches and more particularly to a vehicle door latch having a blocking arrangement for selectively blocking movement of the coupling means of the door latch to uncoupled position when the vehicle door is in an open position.
Door latches of the coupling/uncoupling type include a coupling means coupling the detent for the latch bolt with an unlatching member. The movement of the coupling means to coupled and uncoupled positions with respect to the unlatching member is controlled by locking means which may be power or manually operated from inside and outside the vehicle. When the coupling means is in uncoupled position, movement of the unlatching member by the inside or outside operator is ineffective to release the detent from the latch bolt. Keyless locking can be obtained by operating the locking means to move the coupling means to an uncoupled position when the vehicle door is in an open position, and thereafter closing the door.
It may be desirable in certain vehicles to prevent obtainment of keyless locking of the driver's door through one conscious action and require that the driver perform more than one conscious action in order to move the coupling means to uncoupled position when the vehicle door is in open position.
The door latch of this invention is of the coupling/uncoupling type and requires that the driver sequentially perform a number of conscious actions in order to obtain keyless locking. This prevents inadvertent keyless locking of the driver's door.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the unlatching member is provided with a blocking portion. The unlatching member is conventionally moved between a non-operating position and an operating position by either an inside or an outside operator, such as a handle or power operator. When the door is in open position and the latch bolt is in unlatched position, the unlatching member is positioned in a non-operating position wherein its blocking portion is located in the path of the coupling means to block movement of the coupling means to uncoupled position. If the driver wishes to obtain keyless locking, the driver must first operate the inside or outside operator to move the unlatching member from the non-operating position to the operating position to locate the blocking portion of the unlatching lever in unblocking position. The driver then operates the inside or outside locking member to move the coupling means to uncoupled position, and then closes the door. The inside or outside operator can be released as soon as the coupling means is moved to uncoupled position. By requiring the driver to first consciously operate the inside or outside operator and then consciously operate the inside or outside locking member, inadvertent keyless locking of the driver's door is prevented. For added convenience, when the door is in open position, the latch bolt is in unlatched position, and the coupling means has been moved to the uncoupled position, the coupling means can be moved back to coupled position by the inside or outside locking member without need to operate the inside or outside operator. Thus, two conscious actions are required to move the coupling means to uncoupled position and obtain keyless locking, but only one conscious action is required to return the coupling means to coupled position.
The primary feature of this invention is that it provides a vehicle door latch wherein the driver must sequentially perform a number of conscious actions in order to obtain keyless locking of the vehicle door latch. Another feature is that the door latch is of the coupling/uncoupling type and the coupling means of the door latch is blocked from movement to uncoupled position when the door is in an open position and the door latch is in unlatched position. A further feature is that the coupling means is operated by an unlatching member which blocks movement of the coupling means to uncoupled position when the door is in an open position and the door latch is in unlatched position. Yet another feature is that the unlatching member has a blocking portion which blocks movement of the coupling means when the unlatching member is in a non-operating position. Yet a further feature is that the inside or outside operator must first be operated to move the unlatching member to an operating position to locate the blocking portion of the unlatching member in a non-blocking position with respect to the coupling means. Still another feature is that the coupling means can be returned to coupled position without operation of the inside or outside operator. Still a further feature is that the coupling means moves the unlatching member to an operating position when the coupling means is returned to coupled position by locking means. Yet another feature is that the coupling means cams the unlatching member to the operating position when the coupling means is returned to coupled position.
These and other features of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a partially broken away view of a vehicle door latch according to this invention in a latched and unlocked condition with the vehicle door in closed position.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a view of the door latch in unlatched and unlocked condition with the vehicle door in open position, and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3.